Alvin Stardust dies after short illness

Singer and actor dies at home aged 72 surrounded by family after being
diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer

Alvin Stardust, the singer and actor, has died aged 72 after a short illness.

He had recently been diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer and died at home this morning with his wife and family around him, his manager said. Despite his illness, he continued to tour and performed on Saturday at the Regal Cinema in Evesham, Worcestershire.

The singer - real name Bernard Jewry - started out in the music business in the 1960s.

He became a huge star on the back of the 1970s glam rock craze, scoring hits with tracks including My Coo Ca Choo and Jealous Mind.

Stardust had been working on a new studio album - his first in 30 years - due for release next month.

The album, Alvin, was billed as “a complete departure” from his Seventies sound, featuring producers who had worked with Robbie Williams and Michael Buble, and the singer said recording it had been “the best time I’ve had in years”.

The release will go ahead as planned. His spokesman said: "It is an extraordinary record. We have been playing it to people over the last few weeks and they thought it was Johnny Cash or Glen Campbell. Nobody guess it was Alvin. It is fantastic.

"The record is absolutely going to come out as planned next month because that is what he would have wanted."

Alvin Stardust

Stardust had nine hits singles during his career and had spent this year touring.

His appeal spanned the generations, and he famously appeared in a 1976 Green Cross Code advert about road safety in which he told two girls who crossed the road without looking both ways: "Hey! You must be out of your tiny minds."